GOSEGO MOTSUMI
A collective of some of Thapong Art Centre’s best artists have come together to showcase their works-in-progress in an exhibition themed Backstory.
The exhibition, Thapong’s very first this year, is slated for 17th February and will show art pieces before they are completed in a production process expected to make art enthusiasts appreciate what goes into them before they displayed in studio.
“This is different perspective that seeks to highlight the creativity and processes professional artists have to go through before they finish their master pieces. It is something good to start the year with and it is more interactive and different,” explained Thapong Arts coordinator, Reginald Bakwena.
The participating artists who are the country’s crème dela crème include Veryan Edwards, Sedireng Mothibatsela, Shephard Ndzudzo, Ditshupo Mogapi, Wilson Ngoni, Ngozi Chukura, Neo Matome, Moratiwa Molema, Modirwa Kekwaletswe, Uhuru Kgope, Harun Harun and Steve Jobson.
“They have vowed to bring it all onto your face. Work in progress; showing the working method. We want to display the artist through the work, what drives them and how ideas evolve through the process of making. It is also a snapshot of a variety of people from varied circumstances living in the same country and what their individual responses have been through a similar period of time,” Bakwena said.
Each artist will display two or three pieces of work which may or may not be finished as well as their sketches, showing the artist’s creative thoughts over the period of making them. Photographs and physical evidence of how the piece came about may be used. A number of school, college and university students are expected to attend the official opening and use the occasion to interact and network with the artists.
“It is important that the audience is able to talk to the artists about the work on the opening evening,” emphasized Bakwena.